{Helpful Readers Note: If you have not seen Venom: Let There Be Carnage , I recommend to do so before diving into this chapter as I will be referencing some events from the movie.}
Both Nat and Peter had slept through most of the day as exhaustion has finally taken its toll on them. Dark fall has approached once more over the city of New York, awakening the symbiote that had made its way into Peter's body.
Peter twisted and turned in his sleep feeling the sudden rush of adrenaline fill his body. He was sweating more than ever. He quietly and slowly broke away from Nat's arms that were still wrapped around him. He looked down at her as he kissed her forehead, and tugged the blanket to fall over her.
He clutched his stomach as hunger was the one thing that was rushing through his mind. Nat stirred around in bed as he slowly got out to walk to the kitchen. Minutes and minutes had gone by of Peter devouring everything in the fridge, everything in the pantry, and about anything else that was food he could find in the apartment.
With the rummaging noises through the apartment, Nat had finally stirred awake. She heard loud banging of cabinets shutting close and open.
She mumbled feeling over to the side of the bed for Peter, "Peter?"
She felt around as she saw he wasn't in bed. She quickly got up, and out the bedroom to find him crying in the kitchen floor surrounded by the mess of trash he left all over the floor.
She asked, "What the hell happened in here?"
Peter laughed and said, "I'm so fucking hungry, and whatever I eat just isn't enough."
She nodded as she walked back into the bedroom throwing on some clothes. She walked back out, and opened the front door. She paused as she can feel his stare on her.
She turned around and said, "I'm going to get us food, and when I come back this place better look spotless mister."
He smiled as he nodded in agreement as she left the apartment worried if she even should have left him alone.
She quickly reached for her phone and went to dial for Tony, but then realized she couldn't. She pouted at herself as she felt her phone buzz.
Tony Stark.
She laughed and mumbled to herself, "Almost as if he sensed it."
She picked up as she heard Tony's annoyed tone come through, "You better be dead or something for not showing up to work today!"
She muttered under her breath, "Oh, shit!"
Before she can start to apologize, she heard Pepper in the background yell, "Leave the poor girl alone, Tony!"
She laughed to Pepper's commentary.
Tony said, "So, are you just not going to see how I am considering I was dying?"
Nat rolled her eyes as she teased him using the same words he had to said to her, "No, cause I 'knew you'd be fine'."
He growled, "Yeah, whatever. Where are you?"
"I'm going to get food...", she replied.
There was a pause between them until Tony said, "Are you with him?"
She froze in her path as she knew what he was referring to and responded, "There's something wrong with him.... I don't know how to help him."
Tony laughed and said, "You're turning soft, kid."
She clutched the phone a bit upset by the comment and scowled, "Tony, I'm being serious."
He quickly combatted, "Mr. Stark!"
She frowned and said, "Can we stop doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"The whole Mr. Stark thing?"
"Well, I am your employer."
"Did you call me as my employer or did you call me as a worried father?"
A pause between the both was exchanged. The first she's ever addressed him as a father figure in her life.
As Tony finally caved into the silence, "Bring him by tomorrow, I'll help him."
She smiled and said, "Thank you."
He asked, "Are you okay?"
She sighed into the phone and said, "I just want him to be okay."
"Okay.", he said.
"Okay.", she replied.
Another awkward pause as Tony then exclaimed, "Does that mean you have to bring him over for the Christmas Party!"
She laughed and said, "Well, I didn't know I was invited..."
Pepper yelled in the background, "He's invited too, Nat!"
Nat laughed and said, "We'll make sure to bring gifts for mini Stark when we stop by tomorrow."
Tony growled, "And for me."
Nat laughed, "Alright, I'm approaching the restaurant... We'll see you tomorrow."
She ended the call as she slipped into Zal's approaching the bar finding a familiar face she wished she hadn't had to bump into.
They both paused as they stared at each other hard and long. She quickly looked away as she looked at the bartender. She said, "I'm going to have to put in a large order for to-go, please."
The bartender nodded as he whipped out a pen from behind his ears and pulled out the notepad from his apron. He nodded for her to order as she ordered two large pizzas, an order of 30 wings, 3 large bacon cheeseburgers, and a big bowl of Alfredo pasta with shrimps.
She saw the person she least wanted to see finally take a seat next to her with a glass of scotch in his hand. She could smell the alcohol linger from his breath.
Daniel cocked a smile and says, "You're looking good."
She sternly looked at him as she flashed him a fake smile.
He said, "Ouch, can't your exes be friends?"
She crossed her arms annoyed and said, "No, not exes like you, Daniel."
He frowned and said, "What do I have to do for you to forgive me?"
She faked smiled and said, "How about leaving me the fuck alone?"
She took the opportunity to walk away from him as she took the seat furthest away from him to wait for her order.
Before Daniel could quickly take the seat next to her another man sat as he raised a brow towards Daniel and looked at Nat saying, "He bothering you?"
She crossed her arms saying, "Matter of fact he is."
The man nodded his head as somehow he had managed to scare Daniel off as he took the seat next to Nat. He raised his hand for her to shake as he introduced himself, "I'm Eddie Brock."
She shook his hand and said, "Nat."
He shook her hand a bit too long as she suddenly took her hand away. He was an older man with nice features, and very handsome for his age.
He leaned in a bit too close and asked, "I can help you."
She leaned a bit away from him as she said, "What?"
He whispered, "With your um, friend."
She still looked at him confused as he sighed and said, "The kid you were with... Um he has something that's changing him."
Her face dropped and said, "Changing him?"
He nodded and said, "Mind if we talk somewhere more private."
She nodded as she followed him to the back of the restaurant near the restrooms. She crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall as Eddie began to explain the origin of how he and Venom became to be one, and how they had gotten into an argument where Venom took off.
Nat couldn't help, but let out a little laugh as she said, "Wait, wait... So you both like had a break up?"
Eddie frowned and said, "Sure, we broke up in a way."
She asked, "So, where is this 'Venom' now?"
Eddie's face transformed into Venom as Venom said, "I'm here."
Nat's eyes grew wide not expecting to see this alien looking beast again. Eddie turned back to himself and said, "Anyways, Um so we think your friend is going through... changes that I went through."
She frowned and said, "He's going to become like that?"
Venom popped up from behind Eddie saying, "Hey!"
Nat put her arms up in self-defense mode as Eddie said, "Yeah, so um.... That likes to be referred to as Venom."
She put her arms down and said, "Sorry, Venom."
Venom smiled at her as she started to feel creeped out now bringing her eyes back to Eddie.
She asked, "So, how do we help, Peter?"
Eddie rubbed his neck as he said, "Well, you see..."
He explained how him and Venom had to fight a version Venom had accidentally created referred to as Carnage, and how that didn't... end well.
Nat threw her hands up in frustration as she said, "No. Nope. NO!"
Eddie opened his mouth, but closed it as Nat caught him off, "Listen to me, Eddie. Your little friend got him into this mess, and now you both have to get him out of this mess. Do you understand?"
Venom and Eddie looked at each other as they both nodded.
Eddie said, "We have a plan, but we need to do this somewhere.... that he won't see us coming."
Nat perked up and asked, "You both got any Christmas plans?"
Eddie shook his head as Nat said, "Well, guess you're both invited to the biggest Christmas party in New York City."